Time-stamp.



No. 743,408. PATENTED NOV.,3, 1903. J. C. WILSON.

TIME STAMP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1899.

No MODEL.

' c. .um F--llm WITNEEEEE (43,408. Patented November 3, 1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN C. WILSON, OFBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTO- MATIC TIME STAMP COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE. 1

TIME-STAM P.

.PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,408, dated November 3, 1903. i

Application filed Angust'l, 1899. Serial No. 727,340. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ wwm 25 may .wW/f As shown in Fig. l, the machine consists of Be it known that I, JOHN C. WILSON, of ahollowbell-shapedshellorcasingA,contain Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of inga clock time-train ofthe usual construction Massachusetts, have invented certain new '(such as is shown in the patent above re- 5 and useful Improvementsin Time-Stamps,of ferred to) in its lower portion and adapted 55 which the following is a specification. to allow a bed-plate B to be attached to a hol- This invention relates to the production of low upward extension B'. A curved arm C a simple machine for printing the actual time extends outwardly and upwardly from one and determining or indicating the lapse of side of the shell or casing A, and at its upper lo time or measuring or calculating and recordend it is provided with a tubular socket or 6o ing the time elapsing or intervening between sleeve D, through which is extended a plunone act or operation and another or automatger or rod E, provided at its lower extremity icallyindicating 0r calculating the time which with a platen F and at its upper end with an has been consumed or has lapsed between operating knob or handle G, these parts bel5 one time and another. ing connected together and operating in the 65 In carrying out the invention I utilize the usual well-known manner, as shown in the devices for printing or recording time shown above-mentioned patent. The bed-plate B is and described in United States Patent No. fastened to the upper surface of the shell or 576,644, granted to John C. Wilson February casing A by screws, (not shown,) and the 2o 9, 1897, to which reference may be had. Clock-train is attached to the under inner 7o My invention consists of certain novel feasurface of the shell or casing A in the same tures hereinafter described, and particularly manner as shown in the above-mentioned patpointed out in the claims. vent. The outer printing-die H is supported In the accompanying drawings, which illusby and revolves upon the surface of the bedz5 trate aconstruction embodying myinvention, plate B, as shown in Fig. 3, anditis connected 75 Figure lis a side elevation of the time-stamp, with the hour-sleeve I of the clock-train by a part of the casing or shell inclosing the means of a hollow stem J, extending to the e clock-train being broken away to show the center of the said die H through the hollow connection of the time-printing dies with the extension B' of the shell or casing A. Inside go usual clock-train. Fig. 2 is a plan View of of an annular recessKin the outer printing- 8o the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the timedie H another printing-die L is placed, and it printing dies and the bed plate which diis connected with the minute-arbor M of the rectly supports them with the ribbon-holdclock-train by a stem N, extending through ing device removed. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the hollow stem J ofthe outer printing-die H.

L, if, a card, ticket, or slip bearing upon its sur- As shown in thisinstance, the outer printing- 85 face a printed representation of a time-dial die H carries a small triangle or arrow-head O divided in this instance into half-minute inupon its upper and outer edge in printing tervals or having one hundred and twenty form,anditis revolved bytheclock-train once equidistant divisional lines arranged circumevery twelve hours, while the inner printing- .to ferentially. Fig.` 5 is an enlarged plan view dieLmakesarevolution oncein anhour. The 9o of two successive imprints made by the timeinner or minute-printing die L has engraved stamp upon a card in connection with the upon its surface in printing form a series of E printed time-dial shown in Fig. 4 to indicate graduated lines or marks L2, preferably disthe actual and lapsed time. Fig. 6 is a sectributed over one-half ot its circumference 45 tional detail view of the printing-dies, showand which may be of any suitable degree 95 J ing their connection with eachother. Fig. 7 of iineness or length of any desired number is a perspective view of the device for posiand which may have, as shown, significant figtioning the card or slip to be imprinted. ures or characters associated with them prov Like letters of reference refer to like parts gressively arranged to facilitate the reading ot' p 5o throughout the several views. the imprint made by the stamp,and the initial roo or first line of the series of graduated lines or marks L2 may be a long pointed marker or index to indicate the minute-hand in theimprint and to point out or indicate the actual time and also the elapsed or intervening time between successiveimprints, as shown in Fig. 5.

As is common in the operation of timestamps the imprinting is made through an inking-ribbon P, carried in a ribbon `frame or holder P' of usual construction, the sides of the frame being slotted at P2 in order that it may be held firmly in place upon the bedplate byengagement with the pins P3, extending from the sides of the bed-plate B. The inking-ribbon may be shifted in the usual way by turning the shafts upon which it is rolled by means of the thumb-screws P4.

A positioning device Q for the card or slip to be imprinted is attached to the frame of the ribbon-holder P' by suitable screws Q', and it consists of two pieces of thin metal attached io the frame of the ribbon-holder at right angles to each other, as shown in Fig. 7, and extending upwardly above the surface of theinking-riboon P. One piece is attached to one of the sides of the ribbon-holder P' and is parallel thereto, while the other piece is parallel to the back end of the ribbonholder P', to which it is fastened, as above described.

One of the cards or slips R to be imprinted is shown in Fig. 4 with a graduated time-dial R' printed upon it at a certain fixed distance from its upper edge R2 and its left-hand edge R3, and the positioning' device Q must always be fixed in such a position relatively to the printing-surfaces of the printing-dies H and L and to the printed time-dial R' upon the card or slip R that when the latter is turned over and is placed with its upper and righthand edges bearing against the corresponding end and side of the positioning device Q the imprints made by the outer and inner printing-dies H and L will always be in a proper and unvarying concentric relation to the printed time-dial R', as shown in Fig. 5. It is plain from this description that if two successive imprints should immediately follow one another when the card or slip is in the above position then they would be exactly superimposed and that the concentric variation from this exact superimposition of any two successive imprints would measure, indicate, or record the time elapsing or intervening between them.

The bed-plate B is provided with a slot T, into which, if desired, printing-types may be inserted to print the day, month, and year.

To illustrate the operation of the machine, referring to Figs. 8, 4, and 5: Suppose that a card or slip R with a time-dial R' printed upon it in the proper place be inserted under the platen Fand properly positioned, as above described, and that by depressing the platenv twice in succession the card or slip R is imprinted, as shown in Fig. 5. In such a case ,J 'iii-3,408

the first imprint would exhibit a long initial line S upon the card or slip R, extending from the center to the inner extremity of the line or pointer-mark on the time-dial R', (marked 2,) and also thirty shorter lines extending from near the inner ends of the time-dial lines or marks toward the center of the imprint. As shown in Fig. 5, these shorter lines or marks are graduated into and represent minutes, and for convenience of readingevery fifth minute is represented by a dotted line with the figures 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 attached to each in a progressive manner. This first imprint would therefore consist of the long line or pointermark S, before mentioned, pointing to the line or mark on the time-dial marked and the dotted lines marked 30, 25, 20, 15, 10,and 5extendinginwardly from the time-dial figures 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, and 3," respectively, and the intermediate minute lines or marks extending inwardly from the eleventh, twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, twentyrst, twenty-second, twenty-third, twentyfourth, twenty-sixth,twenty-seventh, twentyeighth, and twenty-ninth of the time-dial. From this it will be seen that the inner or minute-printing die L imprints a measured or graduated series of marks or lines progressively arranged from left to right and which may or may not coincide with the corresponding graduated or divisional marks of the timedial R', according to the position ofthe minnte-printing die L at the moment the imprint is made. The first imprint under consideration would also show, as in Fig. 5, the triangular mark or arrow-head O', indicating the hour and pointing inwardly near the outer end of the forty-sixth minute-mark on the time-dialR',the hourand minute beingshown as ten minutes past nine. If the card or slip R bearing the first imprint, as just described, is again imprinted in the same manner, the long line pointermark S' and the arrowhead O2 ofthe second imprint would indicate twenty-seven minutes and a quarter past nine, as shown in Fig. Bysnbtracting the time of the first imprint (9.10) from that of the second imprint (9.273,-)l the intervalof time between the imprints is found to be seventeen and one-quarter minutes.

Although the described arrangement ofsuccessive imprints in conjunction with a single time-dial, as shown, enables the interval of time between them to be determined more readily than would be possible with two separate and independent time-imprints, yet it is desirable in many cases to be able to ascertain the interval or lapsed time automatically without calculation of any kind, and this invention accomplishes this result in the most simple manner.

Referring again to Fig. 5, it will be noticed that the inner printing-die Il in making the second imprint in part superimposes it upon IOO IIO

or over the tirst imprint, or, as shown in Fig. 5, it is superimposed between the long line S, Which-marks the beginning of the second imprint, and the dotted line 30, denoting the ending of the iirst imprint, and of course this superimposition varies in extent and in position in correspondence with the interval of time elapsing between the two imprints. No confusion, however, in reading the lapsed time results from this superimposition, asit is always absent from that part of the imprint which indicates the elapsed or intervening time, and the line S', marking the initial or starting point of the second imprint, in all cases points to the exact interval of time existing between the two imprints-as, for instance, as shown in Fig. 5 it points to two minutes and one-quarter beyond the iifteenminute dotted line and indicates a total interval of seventeen and one-quarter minutes, as before determined by subtraction.

Although I have spoken of the figures or characters progressively arranged in connection with the graduated or divisional timemarks upon the inner printing-die L as signifying minutes, yet it is clear that a diderent signicance--such, for instance, as progressive values or charges-may be attached to them, if desired, and the graduated lines may be greater or less distances apart, or that the calculating printing-die, where it is required to calculate longerintervals of time, might' easily be run at a less rate of speed, or Where it is desired to compute shorter iutervals at a higher rate of speed than that shown and described.

While I have shown and described a card or slip With the representation of a clock-dial previously printed on the same and claimed the same in combination with a rotatable time-printing die of special construction to indicate lapses of time by the differences in the superimposition of imprints by the same and recording the actual time of the imprint in connection with the previously-printed clock-dial, yet I have in another application, Serial No. 172,646, tiled September 10, 1903, shown,described, and claimed a card or slip having the representation of a clock-dial previously printed on the same for use in conjunction with a rotating time-printing die of usual construction, the imprint from which when read in conjunction with a previouslyimprinted clock-dial indicates and records the actual time only.

I do not limit myself to the arrangement and construction shown, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus ascertained the nature of my invention and set forth a construction embodying the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters lPatent of the United States, is-

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a movable printing-diehaving a graduated segmental printing-surface,an imprinting-platen cooperating with the said graduated printing-surface, and a positioning device to enable the card or slip to be printed to be placed in an unvarying printing relation to the printing-surface of the said movable printing-die to cause successiveimprints of said die to be superimposed, the extent of the superimposition of the successive imprints indicating, measuring and recording the extent of the movements ot the said movable printing-die between the successive imprints.

2. In an apparatus ot the character described,arotatableprinting-diehavingagraduated segmental printing-surface,an imprinting-platen cooperating with the said graduated printing-surface, and a positioning device to enable the card or slip to be printed to be placed in an unvarying concentric printing relation with the said rotatable printingdie to cause successive imprints of said die vto be superimposed, the extent of the superimposition of the successive imprints indicating, measuring and recording the distance the said rotatable printing-die has been rotated between the successive imprints.

3. In an apparatus of the character deseribed,a movable printing-die having a graduated segmental printing-surface including an initial pointer-mark or index, an imprinting-platen coperating with the said movable printing-die, and a positioning device to enable the card or slip to be printed to be placed in an unvarying position relatively to the said movable printing-die to cause successive imprints of said die to be superimposed, the extent of the superimposition of the successive imprints being indicated in the resultant imprint by tbe positions of the said initial pointer-mark or index relatively to the imprints of the said graduated printing-surface.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotatable time-printing die having a graduated segmental surface indicating divisions of time, mechanism for actuating said time-printing die to a predetermined rate of rotation, an imprinting-platen coperating with the said time-printing die, and a positioning device to enable the card or slip to be printed to be placed in an unvarying printing relation with the said rotatable ti me-printing die to cause successive imprints of said die to be superimposed, the extent ot the superimposition of the successive imprints indicating, measuring and recording the time elapsing or intervening between successive imprints ot' the said rotatable time-printing die.

5.. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotatable time-printing die having a graduated segmental printing-surface indicating divisions of time including an initial pointer-mark or index, mechanism for actuating said time-printing die to a predetermined rate of rotation, an imprinting-platen eoperatin g with the said rotatable time-printing die, and a positioning device to enable TOO IOS

lIO

scribed, a rotatable time-printing die having a graduated segmental printing-surface including an initial pointer-mark or index and figures or characters at different points indieating divisions of time, mechanism for actuating the said rotatable time-printing die to continuous rotation, an imprinting-platen cooperating with the said rotatable time-printing die, and a positioning device to enable the card or slip to be printed to be placed in an unvarying position with relation to the said rotatable time-printing die to cause successive imprints of the said die to be superimposed, the time elapsing or intervening betweenthesuccessiveimprintsbeingindicated in the resultant imprint by the positions of the said initial pointer-mark or index relatively to the imprints of the said graduated printing-surfaceand the said characters or figures.

7. In an apparatus of the character dee scribed,a rotatable printing-die having a graduated printing-surface extending over a segment of a circle, an imprinting-platen copcrating With the said printing-surface, and a positioning device with which one end and one side ofthe card engages to enable the card or slip to be printed to be placed in an unvarying position with relation to the said graduated printing-surface to cause successive imprints of said die to be superimposed, the extent of the superimposition of the successive imprints indicating, measuring and recording the distance the said rotatable printing-die has been rotated between the successive imprints.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotatable time-printing die having a graduated printing-surface indicating divisions of time extending over a segment of a circle and including an initial pointer-mark or index, mechanism for rotating said timeprinting die at a predetermined speed, animprintingplaten coperating `Jvith the said time-printing die, and a positioning device with which one end and one side of the card engages to enable the card or slip to be printed to be placed in an unvarying position With relation to the said time-printing die to canse successive imprints of said die to be superimposed, the time elapsing or intervening between the successive imprints being automatically indicated in the resultant imprint by the positions of the said pointer-mark or index relatively to the imprints ot the said graduated printing-surface.

0. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotating time-printing die havin;- a graduated segmental printing-surface and provided With an initial pointer-mark or index, a clock-train connected with the said time-printing die to rotate the same at a predetermined speed, an imprinting-platen cooperating With the said rotating time-printing die, and a positioning device to enable the said rotating time-printing die to be printed upon a card or slip in an unvarying position concentric with a representation of a clockdial previously print/:d upon the same card or slip.

l0. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotating time-printing die having a graduated segmental printing-surface and provided with a pointer-mark or index, a clock-train connected with the said time-printing die to rotate the same at a predetermined speed, an imprinting-platen cooperating with the said rotating time-printingdie, and a positioning device to enable the said rotatable time-printing die to be printed upon a card or slip concentric with and inside of a representation ot a clock-dial previously printed upon the saine card or slip.

ll. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotating time-printing die having a graduated segmental printing-surface and provided with a pointer-mark or index representing a minute-hand, and another rotating time printing die provided with a pointermark or index representing an hour-hand, a clock-train connected with and actuating both of the said rotating time-printing dies at predetermined speeds, and a positioning device to enable the said rotating time-printing dies to be printed upon a card or slip in an unvarying concentric relation With a representation of a clock-dial previously printed upon the same card or slip.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speciiication, in the presence ol two subscribing Witnesses, this lst day of August, A.. D. 1899.

JGHN C. W'IISON.

Witnesses:

A. L. MESSER, C. A. STEWART.

IIO 

